1000+ images about Marie Antoinette on Pinterest | Louis xvi, Film director and Costume design Marie Antoinette's first meeting with Axel de Fersen. The Princess de Lamballe looks on and comments on his extraordinary good looks. pin Marie Antoinette / Useful Notes - TV Tropes WMG Marie Antoinette (1755-1793), born Archduchess Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen, is known as the queen who led a tragic yet romantic life, who spent more time on her own pleasures than being a responsible royal, who was obsessed with fashion, pageantry and the Ermine Cape Effect ; who was the subject of scathing cartoons and scandals and who eventually lost everything she held dear during The French Revolution . Her childhood in the Habsburg (Austrian) empire was excessively pampered and free spirited. This did not prepare her for her eventual life in Versailles. As the fifteenth of sixteen children she was certainly not brought up as might befit a future occupant of the greatest European throne of its time, in regards to either education or life experience.

In fact, she was sent to France only after a series of misfortunes took her older sisters out of the running. In the interim, many Austrian court customs had been discarded as too stuffy by her mother, the Empress Maria Theresa . Antoinette (as she was known) tried to impose this same openness on Versailles, and brought with her an overall distrust of the intensely rigid formal etiquette which characterised the French court. Such youthful optimism is understandable to a modern audience, but she was seen as a legitimate threat to the prestige of many powerful courtiers in Versailles, many of whom were already uneasy about this representative of France's ancient enemy. France's governmental system may have glittered outwardly, but its rapidly decaying core of greed and self-interest made for a complex maze that even the most astute princess might have had trouble negotiating. And astute Antoinette was not. It didn't help at all that she was stuck with a heavy, lumpish husband who openly preferred the company of the palace workmen over hers (told that he shouldn't eat so much at his wedding night banquet, the future Louis XVI responded, "Oh, I always sleep better after a good supper.").

Lonely and neglected, trying to shut out the mockery over her nonexistent sex life, the teenage princess embarked on the whirl of gaiety that became her legend. Partying till all hours, gambling, private theatricals, wildly extravagant jewels and clothes, ludicrous hairstyles... basically, whatever new fad came down the pike, Antoinette was up for it. Including, most unfortunately, the one for simplicity and rusticism. This sounds quite banal now — and in fact, was no more then than an expression of a newly emerging general trend, and perhaps even a little less excessive than that of other noblewomen — but in the moment, an ostentatiously realistic model of a peasant village (minus the starving, over-taxed peasantry), where the Queen and select noble friends could kick back and dress down every now and then, was just asking for trouble, especially in the late 1780s when a famine and a rapidly escalating financial crisis was about to clear the ground beneath the feet of the entire monarchy. Before the Revolution, and in the early years of that movement, Marie Antoinette's percieved vapidity and excesses made her a favorite target for satirists both in France and England.

They were the tabloids of their day. Censorship prevented major newspapers from making open political criticism on the person of the King and the Church, but if tabloids reported on gossip and rumor of Marie Antoinette then it fell Beneath Suspicion , allowing them to use the Queen as scapegoat to give vent to all kinds of frustration and dissent. Naturally, some of the stuff they wrote were outright made up: If she organised an innocent ride into the country to watch the sunrise, it was construed as an orgy. If she indulged in close female friendships, they were naturally lesbian; if she showed favour to certain male courtiers, they were naturally her lovers. All France "knew" of the insane amounts she spent on frivolities, when she was really no more extravagant and much less promiscuous than other members of the family, and likewise, her marriage with the shy King improved — she eventually gave the nation two heirs. Antoinette's political influence, in the Ancien Regime was close to nil, because her husband's ministers distrusted her so much.

Throughout her reign her mother criticized her for not representing the Empire well enough, while any attempts she did make ensured further scorn from the French, who soon dubbed her L'Autrichienne — a multi-layered Pun which in Frenchnote French, unlike English has masculine and feminine forms for various nouns, so this pun is literally untranslatable combined the feminine form of "The Austrian" ("L'Autrichien"), the French word for Other or Foreigner (autre) and the feminine form of "Dog" ("Le chien") and using it to refer to her by this nickname was a form of subversion. Some incidents damaged her reputation, including her supposed invocation of "let them eat cake" in a time when bread was scarce and expensive. There is no record of her giving utterance to such a phrase in the callous manner as this quotation implies. Likewise, "The Diamond Necklace Affair," in which a prominent courtier was tricked by a conman into buying the priceless trinket under the impression he was doing the Queen a discreet favour, finally did in her waning public popularity. Even though there was no proof of her involvement, her reputation was so bad that nobody doubted it .

The nobility that might have been her natural allies were more than happy to use her as a figurehead to distract critics from their own follies. Ironically, Marie Antoinette, so marginal in the years before the Revolution, became a key figure of Royalist Opposition. The Queen was determined at all costs to preserve the ancien regime both in principle and for her young son. She was appalled at such flouting of Royal Authority as the Tennis Court Oath and was filled with fear during the Women's March to Versailles, where Parisian market women, arrived at Versailles, and convinced the Royal Family to take residence at the long-abandoned Palais de Tuileries, whose retinue comprised of members of the National Guard (drawn from Parisian Radicals). In addition to feeling imprisoned by the Revolution, she felt humiliated at seeing the King present himself at the National Assembly. The King was himself unhappy about these changes but he was weak-minded and vacillating. His Queen proved to be more strong willed. Antoinette played a key role in planning the daring escape from the Tuileries.

With the aid of her loyal favourites Count Axel von Fersen and the Baron de Breteuil, she organised a scheme in which the royal governess would be disguised as a Russian noblewoman simply travelling through the countryside, with the royal family in tow as her children and servants. They were in actuality headed north to a Royalist region where 10,000 of the remaining loyal soldiers were waiting. Unfortunately everything fell apart about two-thirds of the way there, at Varennes, when a local official recognised the King from his likeness on a coin. This revelation of the King's Flight, led to a humiliating return back to the Tuileries, and the French public who had liked the King for supporting the Revolution, now saw him as a liar and a traitor. In this period between the Flight to Varennes and the Birth of the Republic, Marie Antoinette tried to ensure the family's survival by playing Revolutionary factions such as the Feuillants (whose leader Antoine Barnave was manipulated by the Queen into excusing the Flight to Varennes and clamping down on anti-royal sentiment) and the Girondins.

Antoinette was supportive of the drive to a war with Austrianote She gloated in her private letters, "These imbeciles don't see that they are helping us, because in the end all the powers will have to join in.", her own native place, in the hope that a military defeat would restore the Absolute Monarchy. note Her brother Leopold II was actually opposed to the war and critical of his sister, but he died in early 1792. This all ended with the 1792 Insurrection, the Storming of the Tuileries and the Declaration of the First Republic . The King and Queen took refuge at the National Assembly, now called National Convention and were imprisoned at the Temple Fortress. The King was brought to trial, declared guilty and executed , in January 1793. His widow was brought to La Force prison, separated from her child, the Dauphin Louis XVIII and her daughter, Madame Elisabeth. Initially Danton and Robespierre had hoped to ransom her to the Austrians in hope for a peace agreement, but all their overtures were rejected. Eventually, the Parisian Mob, who loudly clamored for the trials and executions of all traitors, got their wish.

Marie Antoinette was brought to a trial, which was less a case of justice at her actual crimes (treason) and more a ritual of humiliation with wild misogynist allegations and insults flung at her by populist demagogues. Eventually she was guillotined in the month of October during the Reign of Terror . Her son was left in the care of a cobbler and his wife, was raised poorly and shortly thereafter died of malnutrition, depression or the shock of the change in habit and lifestyles, nobody is quite sure. Her daughter survived, and was eventually exchanged as a hostage and lived a long life. She would live to see the Bourbon Restoration and the return to honour of her parents. The Bourbon and Orleans Restoration led to a period of revisionism where writers who formerly criticized the Queen now looked at her with Nostalgia Filter and Rose Tinted Narrative . Marie Antoinette remains a highly popular and enduring historical figure, appearing in novels, manga, comics, music, plays and movies. Modern depictions tend to be more sympathetic of the Queen than usual.

Tropes as portrayed in fiction: Anachronism Stew : The 2006 film, which used sneakers and modern music to get the frivolity across to modern audiences. Beam Me Up, Scotty! : "Let them eat cake" was actually said 100 years earlier by Maria Theresa (not Marie's mother, but a distant cousin of the same name), and was made famous by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 22 years before Antoinette was even born. And supposedly Rousseau based it on an even earlier saying from a (unnamed) Chinese Emperor when told that the people have no rice to eat, "Then they should eat meat."note The Chinese emperor who said this was actually Hui of Jin , most well-known in Chinese history for being obviously intellectually disabled. Disease Bleach : A legend commonly reported about her (notably in The Rose of Versailles) is that her hair turned gray during the return from Varennes to Paris. There's almost no evidence of this, but her hair was effectively grey by the time of her trial, two years later. Marie Antoinette was only 38 by then.

Historical Hero Upgrade : Her Anglo-American portrayals when they aren't reproductions of royalist satire veer towards a romantic tragic portrayal of the Queen as a victim of fate. Historical Villain Upgrade : This began amongst her many aristocratic friends almost immediately post-execution, with even Thomas Jefferson eventually considering her a scapegoat. More recently it's conceded that while she was indeed nothing close to the depraved monster of legend, she certainly didn't do a lot to help her cause. Historical Villain Downgrade : With the possible exception of Renoir's La Marseillaise, almost no movie gives Marie Antoinette credit for her intelligence, namely her scheming during the Revolution. Most films give Fersen credit for the Flight to Varennes rather than her and almost no movie touches on her involvement with the 1792 war which she played no insignificant part in stroking and then sabotaging. Pretty in Mink : In addition to an ermine cape or two, she wore a few dresses trimmed with fur. The 1938 film had quite a few outfits with fur, and even the 2006 film had her wearing a jacket trimmed with ermine.

Princesses Prefer Pink : One of the dresses she wore in the 2006 film, when she was still the crown princess, was a pink feather-trimmed dress, with a matching hat and muff. Star-Crossed Lovers : Marie and Fersen in the 1938 film and Rose of Versailles . Not to mention real life, consummation or no. Marie Antoinette - All The Tropes We have many pages linking to disambiguation lists instead of to the articles they should point to. (How many? Over Forty-Nine Thousand! ) If you have time, please clean up a page or two. Miraheze will adopt a new Terms of Service , Privacy Policy , and Content Policy (for wiki administrators) . All policies will be adopted on January 1, 2017, but you can preview them now. The Terms of Service and Privacy Policy will apply to all users of Miraheze wikis. Keep editing, and have a happy new year!

Marie Antoinette All Subpages Create New Analysis Characters Laconic Recap Trivia Setting Fanfic Recs Haiku Headscratchers Ho Yay Image Links Memes Radar Reviews Useful Notes WMG Awesome Funny Heartwarming Nightmare Fuel Tear Jerker /wiki/Marie Antoinettework Marie Antoinette, born Archduchess Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen, is known as the queen who led a tragic yet romantic life, who spent more time on her own pleasures than being a responsible royal, and the poster girl for the Ermine Cape Effect . At least that's how fiction portrays her. While there is some Truth in Television in this view, as with many Historical Domain Characters , her real life was far more complex. Her childhood in the Habsburg (Austrian) empire was relatively free compared to her eventual life in Versailles; as the fifteenth of sixteen children she was certainly not brought up as might befit a future occupant of the greatest European throne of its time, as regards either education or life experience. In fact, she was sent to France only after a series of misfortunes took her older sisters out of the running.

In the interim, many Austrian court customs had been discarded as too stuffy by her mother, the Empress Maria Theresa . Antoinette (as she was known) tried to impose this same openness on Versailles, and brought with her an overall distrust of the intensely rigid formal etiquette which characterised the French court. Unfortunately, although to modern eyes this makes her sympathetic, at the time she was seen as a legitimate threat to the prestige of many powerful courtiers, many of whom were already uneasy about this representative of France's ancient enemy. France's governmental system may have glittered outwardly, but its rapidly decaying core of greed and self-interest made for a complex maze that even the most astute princess might have had trouble negotiating. And astute Antoinette was not. It didn't help at all that she was stuck with a heavy, lumpish husband who openly preferred the company of the palace workmen over hers (told that he shouldn't eat so much at his wedding night banquet, the future Louis XVI responded, "Oh, I always sleep better after a good supper."). Lonely and neglected, trying to shut out the mockery over her nonexistent sex life, the teenage princess embarked on the whirl of gaiety that became her legend.

Partying till all hours, gambling, private theatricals, wildly extravagant jewels and clothes, ludicrous hairstyles... basically, whatever new fad came down the pike, Antoinette was up for it. Including, most unfortunately, the one for simplicity and rusticism. Again, it sounds great now -- and in fact, was no more then than an expression of a newly emerging general trend -- but in the moment, an ostentatiously realistic model of a peasant village (minus the starving, over-taxed peasantry), where the Queen and select noble friends could kick back and dress down every now and then, was just asking for trouble. The pamphleteers (tabloids of their day, only with even lower ethical standards) pilloried her for all of it -- and a lot more they outright made up. If she organised an innocent ride into the country to watch the sunrise, it was construed as an orgy. If she indulged in close female friendships, they were naturally lesbian; if she showed favour to certain male courtiers, they were naturally her lovers.

All France "knew" of the insane amounts she spent on frivolities; but when she appeared in a formal portrait wearing a simple peasant blouse, she was of course trying to ruin the silk trade ― etc. etc. Meanwhile, back in reality, she was really no more extravagant than other members of the family, and although her marriage situation did improve -- she eventually gave the nation two heirs -- her political influence was actually close to nil, just because her husband's ministers distrusted her so much. Throughout her reign her mother criticized her for not representing the Empire well enough, while any attempts she did make ensured further scorn from the French, who soon dubbed her L'Autrichienne -- a word which in French means "The Austrian" but also carries the rather unfortunate double meaning of 'The Ostrich Bitch'. The nobility that might have been her natural allies were more than happy to use her as a figurehead to distract from their own follies. This is not to say she was a misunderstood saint. Marie Antoinette lived in a time in which France was nearing bankruptcy owing in large measure to centuries of an uber-extravagant nobility propping itself up on the taxes of the peasantry.

Even the more well-off Frenchman was struggling to feed himself and his family. Riots over skyrocketing bread prices were only the first symptoms of a wider discontent that no-one in power at the time fully understood, based as it was around the then-revolutionary notions of liberty and equality for all men. In short, having been so thoroughly disappointed for so long, the French were starting to ask themselves if they even needed a King, let alone his useless courtiers. Although the Queen didn't actually dismiss the concerns of her suffering subjects with the line "let them eat cake", against this backdrop of misery she did lead an unnecessarily frivolous life, and very visibly so. Although kindhearted and generous on a personal level, she lacked the broader vision to be anything other than a fairytale princess at a time when history was spectacularly unforgiving of such. "The Diamond Necklace Affair," in which a prominent courtier was tricked by a conman into buying the priceless trinket under the impression he was doing the Queen a discreet favour, finally did in her waning public popularity. Even though there was no proof of her involvement, her reputation was so bad that nobody doubted it .

After the revolution, she and Louis were executed during the Terror , and their second son died in prison (their oldest daughter lived, given that she couldn't legally inherit the throne or pass it on). This would have ended the French monarchy, but Louis's brothers escaped and were actually put back on the throne after Napoleon was defeated (twice, the first brother the first time Napoleon was defeated, and the second brother the second time). There were two at least major fictional films named for her (others are books and documentaries), one in 1938, with Norma Shearer , and in 2006, with Kirsten Dunst . Marie Antoinette provides examples of the following tropes: Anachronism Stew : The 2006 film, which used sneakers and modern music to get the frivolity across to modern audiences. The hidden Chuck Taylor Converse shoes were actually used as a message that Marie Antoinette was only a teenager by the time she married Louis XVI and became Queen of France, implying that this was the reason why she appeared so inept to the French masses.

Beam Me Up, Scotty : "Let them eat cake" was actually said 100 years earlier by Maria Theresa (not Marie's mother, but a distant cousin of the same name), and was made famous by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 22 years before Antoinette was even born. Break the Haughty : Though it's debatable if she really was that haughty. Broken Bird : A popular portrayal of her by the end of her life. Melodrama Off With Her Head : Endured the regular execution method that many French nobles and many victims of Law of Suspects knew back then : guillotine. One Steve Limit : Averted, she had ten sisters and they were all called Maria due to Hapsburg naming conventions. Hence why she is always referred to by both her first and middle name. Overly Long Name : She was baptised "Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna." Parental Incest -- At her trial during the height of the Terror, she was accused by Hébert of personally teaching the Dauphin to masturbate, in order to weaken his character and control him.

She refused at first to answer to the charge (saying that nature itself made such a charge too revolting to dignify with an answer), but when one of the jurymen insisted, she turned to the women in the court, appealing to them as mothers. This nearly secured her acquittal, much to the fury of Robespierre. Pimped-Out Dress : Was actually required to wear the most grand, and scandalized many for wearing an extremely simple dress in one portrait. Pretty in Mink : In addition to an ermine cape or two, she wore a few dresses trimmed with fur The 1938 film had quite a few outfits with fur, and even the 2006 film had her wearing a jacket trimmed with ermine. Princesses Prefer Pink : One of the dresses she wore in the 2006 film, when she was still the crown princess, was a pink feather-trimmed dress, with a matching hat and muff. Replacement Goldfish : An older sister was to have been the one to marry Louis, but died of smallpox, bumping Marie up to the plate.

Rescued From the Scrappy Heap : At the beginning of the Revolution, a mob gathered outside of Versailles. They called for the Queen, by then a national hate figure, to appear on the balcony above them. She did, taking her little ones with her in an effort to gain sympathy, only to have the mob scream "No children!" Convinced by this that she was about to be assassinated, she sent the children inside and remained, head high, facing the crowd. The mob was so impressed by her courage that some began to cry out, "God save the Queen!" It was the first time in a long time that she had been seen in a positive light by her subjects, and it would unfortunately be the last. And of course there's her modern-day vindication, now that it's known in hindsight that she wasn't such a bitch after all and that The French Revolution was far from a heroic endeavor. Marie-Antoinette (Character) - Filmography by type Marie-Antoinette : [to Breteuil] Why do the people hate me? 'Wasn't always so. See more » Update You may correct errors and omissions on this page directly.

Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process. Registered users may choose to have this page shown as the main character page by setting their site preferences IMDb Everywhere Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet! Marie-Antoinette (Character) Marie-Antoinette (Character) from Marie Antoinette (2006) The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. There may be more photos available for this character. To select more photos to be displayed in this character's gallery, click the Edit Photos link. Overview "Marie-Antoinette" is a character based on Archduchess...

See more » Alternate Names: Julie / La Reine Marie-Antoinette / La regina Maria Antonietta / La reine Marie-Antoinette / Maria Antonieta / Maria Antonietta / Marie Antoinette / Marie-Antoinette jeune / Marï¿½a Antonieta / Performer in Clip from 'Marie Antoinette' / Queen Maria Antonietta / Queen Marie Antoinette / Queen of France Marie Antoinette Filmography ... aka "Femmine infernali" - Spain (original title) ... aka "Escape" - USA (video title) ... aka "Si Versailles m'était conté" - France (original title) ... aka "Affairs in Versailles" - USA (reissue title) ... aka "Empress Marie Therese" - Australia, Canada (English title) ... aka "Empress Marie Therese" - Belgium (English title) ... aka "Napoléon vu par Abel Gance" - France (original title) ... aka "Abel Gance's Napoleon" - USA ... aka "Blade af Satans bog" - Denmark (original title) ...

aka "Leaves Out of the Book of Satan" - USA (informal literal English title) Count Axel de Fersen : If you needed me, I said. Marie : Yes, you said that. Count Axel de Fersen : And, I said I would ask you: "Was it well done?" Marie : It was well done. My husband has needed me. I am thankful to not have failed him. Count Axel de Fersen : I understand. Marie : I even love him. But the love I have for him takes nothing away from my friend. Of all there was between us the night you went away nothing has changed. For me, nothing has changed or ever will. Forgive me for telling you this without asking you if you had the right to hear it. [...] Queen Marie Antoinette in Movies & TV: the Frock Flicks Guide | Frock Flicks Queen Marie Antoinette in Movies & TV: the Frock Flicks Guide Tweet Few historical persons, real or fictional, have inspired as much pop culture as 18th-century French queen Marie Antoinette.

Possibly Anne Boleyn could give her a run for her money, but Marie Antoinette has been alternately loved, hated, admired, copied — and filmed. Queen Marie Antoinette in movies & TV — let’s take a look at as many of her appearances as we can track down! Born an Archduchess of Austria, in 1770 Marie Antoinette married Louis-Auguste, Dauphin (heir to the throne) of France. Four years later she became Queen. Throughout her time in France, she became known for being obsessed with fashion, conflicted in her alliances between Austria and France, and the symbol of the luxuriousness that typified the French nobility and monarchy before the French Revolution. Here’s our run down of Marie Antoinette on screen — her appearances as a character on both big and small screens: Caveat: there are a LOT of French TV productions featuring Marie Antoinette, and tracking them all down was impossible! French readers, let us know if we missed any big ones. Le Collier de la Reine (1929) AKA: The Queen’s Necklace Who played her? Diana Karenne, a Polish actress. What’s it about?

The “ affair of the necklace .” Loosely based on the Alexandre Dumas novel . It was one of the first French sound films, although it actually had a recorded score and some sound effects. Is it any good? It was a huge hit when it was released. The New York Times says, “Why the Countess goes to all this trouble is never made clear…” Anybody seen it? Blingy, at least! Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) Who played her? Fay Wray, lead bombshell from King Kong. What’s it about? A spunky reporter discovers that all is not what it seems at a VERY creepy wax museum. Marie Antoinette plays a similar role in the 1953 remake. Is it any good? Absolutely, although Marie Antoinette is only a (suspiciously believable) wax figure. Great if you love vintage horror — the final scenes where the sh*t gets real at the wax museum are highly entertaining. What’s with the Star Trek free-floating epaulets?

Madame du Barry (1934) Who played her: Anita Louise, who would go on to play the Princesse de Lamballe in the 1938 film about Marie Antoinette. What’s it about? Told from the not-so-historically-accurate point of view of Mme du Barry (Dolores del Rio), famous mistress to Louis XV. Supposedly real 18th century antiques and jewelry were used in the production. Is it any good? It’s on my to-watch list, so I can’t say myself, but it’s gotten good reviews on IMDB — although coming out just after the Hays Code , it was pretty heavily censored. Leonard Maltin says it has an “intriguing cast” and “lavish costumes and sets,” but that the plot is “superficial.” Marie-Antoinette is on the far right of the four ladies, I believe. La Marseillaise (1938) Who played her? Lise Delamare, French actress known for playing historical figures (she also played Anne of Austria and Marie de Medici). What’s it about?

The French Revolution from different perspectives: citizens of Marseilles, exiled nobility, and the king and queen. It was intended as a metaphor for the French Popular Front, an anti-fascist government coalition. Is it any good? There are a few people on IMDB who are raving about it. It’s got a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, which one reviewer summing it up as, “Fascinating (but not wholly successful).” Serious eyebrows are serious. Marie Antoinette (1938) Who played her? Norma Shearer, a hugely popular American/Canadian actress known for this and The Women. What’s it about? A biography of Marie Antoinette from when she left the Austrian court, up through her execution. It’s very focused on the queen as a sympathetic character, and her relationship with Count Fersen is heightened melodramatically. Is it any good? YES YES YES. Okay, so you have to like “classic” film and be able to deal with the hand-staple-forehead melodrama of it. And the costumes are definitely Hollywood-ized and 1930s-ized. But they are OVER THE TOP STUNNING.

Froof. Lamé. Metallics. Jewels up the WAZOO. AND THE HAIR. THE WIGS ARE OUTSTANDING. Norma Shearer gives a surprisingly nuanced performance as the queen, and her acting during her imprisonment/execution is really touching. Why yes, my hair is AMAZING. Wait, THIS cloud of stars? Oh so virginal and precious! Apparently Shearer insisted on looking haggard for her final scenes, which I respect. L’Affaire du Collier de la Reine (1946) AKA: The Affair of the Queen’s Necklace Who played her? Marion Dorian, who only has two credits on IMDB and about whom I can find very little! What’s it about? The “affair of the necklace,” again. Is it any good? Haven’t seen it, can’t really find much info about it online, except that it portrays the Comtesse de la Motte as a schemer. Blurry, but doesn’t look too promising… Scaramouche (1952) Who played her? Nina Foch, prolific actress known for playing sophisticated foreign women. What’s it about?

Based on the 1921 novel , it tells the story of a young lawyer who becomes an actor during the French Revolution, with a lot of swashbuckling. There’s also a 1923 version of the film, although Marie Antoinette is an uncredited part in that one, which makes me assume she’s not really in it. Is it any good? Leonard Maltin recommends it for its “excellent cast” and the longest duel in cinema history (is that really a plus?). Lots of people on IMDB agree! Apparently Nina Foch wore some of Norma Shearer’s gowns from Marie Antoinette (1938). The whole 1930s fingerwave/18th century high hair mash-up sure hung around a long time! Who played her? Isabelle Pia, French actress active in the 1950s. What’s it about? Another take on Louis XV’s famous mistress. Is it any good? I started watching this and found it somewhat tedious, but I promise to go back and try again on behalf of The Quest. Online reviews say that the acting is very good, but the plot somewhat superficial. Nice!

There’s definitely a 1950s cocktail gown at the heart of that. Si Versailles M’Etait Conté (1954) AKA: Royal Affairs in Versailles Who played her? Lana Marconi, Romanian-French actress who only appeared in her actor/director/playwright husband’s (Sacha Guitry) films. What’s it about? Several episodes in French history that focus on Versailles. Is it any good? Leonard Maltin says it has an “impressive cast” but is “static” and “leaden-paced.” Going full shiny platinum! Shadow of the Guillotine / Marie Antoinette Reine de France (1956) Who played her? Michèle Morgan, a French actress who was hugely popular in that country in the 1940s-50s. What’s it about? It focuses on the years of the Revolution, from 1789-93, and focuses on the queen’s relationship with Count Axel von Fersen. Is it any good? Some reviewers say good things, but nobody’s raving about it. Have you seen it? This dress intrigues me!

I believe that would be color #51 on my wig color swatch ring. Si Paris Nous Etait Conté (1956) AKA: If Paris Were Told to Us Who played her? Lana Marconi again. What’s it about? Various scenes in French history that center on Paris, told in impressionistic, not necessarily chronological order. Is it any good? The few reviewers on IMDB say that it’s funny and pageant-y (not beauty pageant-y, but song/dance/theater pageant-y). REALLY committed to the shiny platinum. The Story of Mankind (1957) Who played her? Marie Wilson, American actress known for playing the dumb blonde. What’s it about? The devil and the “spirit of mankind” argue for and against the fate of humanity. Is it any good? Apparently it’s VERY campy and made it into a book of the 50 worst films of all time. This may appeal to you! If she sneezes, we get to see her nipples. They went subtle on the makeup. La Fayette (1961) Who played her?

Liselotte Pulver, German cinema star of the 1940s-50s. What’s it about? The life of the Marquis de La Fayette, focusing on his role in the American Revolution. Apparently it was the most expensive movie ever made, at the time! Is it any good? A few mixed reviews online, but not a lot of detail. Have you seen it? Start the Revolution Without Me (1970) Who played her? Billie Whitelaw, stage actress and demonic nanny from The Omen. What’s it about? Slapstick comedy about twins switched at birth, whose identities are mistaken and switched. Marie Antoinette is an annoying nymphomaniac with bad hair. See our post for more info. Is it any good? Nope. The movie is unfunny , and the portrayal of Marie Antoinette is as inaccurate as you can get. Marie Antoinette (1975) Who played her? Geneviève Casile, French actress primarily known for her stage work. What’s it about? TV miniseries with a big budget, filmed at Versailles, with an unsympathetic look at the title character. Is it any good?

I can’t find any reviews! Let us know if you’ve seen it. AKA: Weapons for America Who played her? Christine Böhm, Austrian stage actress who died young. What’s it about? German TV movie, which was an adaptation of a historical novel focusing on Beaumarchais and Benjamin Franklin. Is it any good? Another one that’s been hard to find any real info on! The Rose of Versailles (1979-1980) Who played her? She’s animated! What’s it about? Japanese manga (comic book) that was adapted into a TV series. The story focuses on Oscar François de Jarjayes, a girl raised as a boy in order to follow her father’s footsteps in the palace guards. Is it any good? Well, based on the number of cosplay references I’ve encountered, apparently a large group of people think so! The book series is currently 14th on a list of all-time best sellers in manga, and lots of people rave about the TV series. I’m not seeing much of anything 18th century here… Who played her? Christine Böhm again. What’s it about? A live-action adaptation of The Rose of Versailles.

Is it any good? It’s gotten lackluster reviews, and for sure, images of Lady Oscar herself look pretty cheeseball. Oh yeah. Totally passing for a guy. Who played her? Ursula Andress – yes, the first Bond girl. What’s it about? Parody film in which Louis XVI escapes to Baghdad. Is it any good? It’s gotten mostly negative reviews online, although I can’t find much detail. La Révolution Française (1989) Who played her? Jane Seymour, English actress best known for Somewhere in Time and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. What’s it about? Two-part film that attempts to tell the story of the Revolution from both sides. Is it any good? It’s been praised for its historical accuracy and dinged for being somewhat muddled and dispassionate (especially in the first film). Nonetheless, the images I’ve seen certainly look exciting, and it’s been on my to-watch list for years, but I haven’t been able to track it down… until I just spotted the whole thing on YouTube! Yay! I’m halfway through the first film, and already I can tell you that the wigs KICK ASS.

Marie Antoinette, Cake Woman? Not perfect, but not bad … La Comtesse de Charny (1989) Who played her? French actress Isabelle Guiard. What’s it about? TV mini-series based on a series of Alexandre Dumas novels. A fictional lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette gets enmeshed in various dramas. Is it any good? Yet another that’s been hard to find any opinions on. Tell us yours! L’Eté de la Révolution (1989) AKA: The Summer of the Revolution Who played her? Brigitte Fossey, French actress known for working with director François Truffaut. What’s it about? Uh, the French Revolution? Is it any good? I CAN’T FIND ANYTHING! Aidez-moi! I’m guessing that’s supposed to be a court dress (??!!) SO MUCH WRONG, ALL IN ONE DRESS. AKA: The Austrian Who played her? Ute Lemper, a German actress known for her stage work. What’s it about? The trial and execution of Marie Antoinette. Apparently the script is entirely based on her trial transcript!

It looks like there’s a few flashbacks to more glamorous days, but it’s mostly her on trial. Is it any good? Lots of French viewers rave about this one, so put it high on your list — it’s high on mine! It looks like the whole thing is on YouTube, starting with this video . Jefferson in Paris (1995) Who played her? Charlotte de Turckheim, French actress. What’s it about? Thomas Jefferson, when he was ambassador to France, just before the French Revolution — focusing on his relationships with Maria Cosway and Sally Hemings. There are a few brief scenes at which Marie Antoinette is present. Is it any good? Yes, with some small quibbles about whether the film gives enough weight to Jefferson’s relationship with Hemings. Beyond that, it’s well-acted and has STUNNING costumes. This is one of my favorite depictions of Marie Antoinette from a purely visual standpoint — I think they really cast an actress with the right look. Ridicule (1996) Who played her? Mirabelle Kirkland, English actress primarily known for her voice work. What’s it about?

A provincial French nobleman comes to Versailles for practical reasons, only to become enmeshed in the petty intrigues of the courtiers. Marie Antoinette is only glimpsed in two quick scenes, and she has very little dialogue. Is it any good? Definitely! It’s an interesting take on the artifice and drama of the 18th-century nobility. The costumes are so/so, but the story is good enough that I recommend it nonetheless. I question making Marie Antoinette a redhead (she was a strawberry blonde, but hello, powder!), but again, she’s a super minor character. Beaumarchais l’Insolent (1996) Who played her? Judith Godrèche, French actress who played the ingenue in Ridicule. What’s it about? The life of Pierre Beaumarchais, playwright, financier, and spy during the American Revolution and his writing of the Figaro plays. Is it any good? It’s gotten mixed reviews online, but it did get nominated for some Césars (the French Oscars), including for costume. VERY wiggy, and not in a good way.

Let Them Eat Cake (1999) Who played her? Elizabeth Berrington, British TV actress. What’s it about? British comedy team French & Saunders play the Comtesse de Vache, a fictional aristocrat at the court of Versailles, and her bawdy lady-in-waiting. Marie Antoinette shows up in a few episodes with some great gowns and a RIDICULOUS Austrian accent. Is it any good? It’s freakin’ HILARIOUS. Watch the first 6 minutes of this episode and tell me if you’re not crying because you’re laughing so hard. The Affair of the Necklace (2001) Who played her? Joely Richardson, English actress known for films like The Patriot and the TV series Nip/Tuck. What’s it about? Ye olde affair of the necklace again, this time with a SUPER mushy take on the Comtesse de La Motte. Is it any good? It’s a mixed bag — some weird casting choices, too much melodrama — but the supporting cast is excellent, the costumes are STUNNING, and Adrien Brody’s towel. Listen to our podcast for more deets!

Joely Richardson does a fabulous job with Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette (2006) Who played her? Kirsten Dunst, American actress known for Interview with the Vampire, Spider-Man, and Melancholia. What’s it about? A sympathetic take on the queen, from leaving Austria until her arrest by revolutionaries. Is it any good? Yes yes yes! It’s probably a little bit TOO sympathetic to Marie Antoinette, and the pacing is slow for some, but it’s really well done and the costumes are generally gorgeous. Listen to our podcast for more! Marie Antoinette, la Véritable Histoire (2006) AKA: Marie Antoinette, the True History Who played her? Karine Vanasse, French-Canadian actress. What’s it about? A drama-documentary about Marie Antoinette shot almost entirely using green screen technology. Is it any good? It’s weird, because I see references to it all over the place, but nobody actually says they’ve seen it or if it’s any good! The whole thing is on YouTube , but it’s in French with Portugese subtitles.

Ce Jour Là, Tout a Changé (2009) AKA: The Days That Made History Who played her? Estelle Skornik, French actress known for From Hell and Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War. What’s it about? TV series tracing important episodes in French history; one episode was about Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Is it any good? Once again, I’m coming up empty. Louis XVI, l’Homme qui ne Voulait pas Etre Roi (2011) AKA: Louis XVI, the Man Who Did Not Want to Be King Who played her? Raphaëlle Agogué, French actress. What’s it about? A drama-documentary about Louis XVI from 17774 through his death. Is it any good? It’s gotten mostly positive reviews on IMDB. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube ! AKA: Les Adieux à la Reine Who played her? Diane Kruger, German actress known for Troy and Inglorious Basterds. What’s it about?

Based on a novel, it tells the story of the final days of Marie Antoinette at Versailles through the eyes of her fictional reader. The story focuses on Marie’s relationship with the Duchesse de Polignac. Is it any good? It’s not BAD, per se. The acting is quite well done, and if you’re not bothered by the fictional characters and take on things, it’s kind of interesting to see some aspects of the Revolution from the perspective of an insider (but not one of the royals). The costumes are a mixed bag. There are some pretty dresses and suits which are decently accurate, but then some weird fabric choices and inaccurate/ugly necklines. The women’s hair annoyed me, because styles of different eras are all mixed up together (and Polignac’s hair is just random). Le Costume Historique has a great post that nitpicks (in the best possible way) what they got wrong (it’s in French, but non-French readers will still appreciate the images — she Photoshopped some stills from the movie to show how they could be made more accurate). Do you think anyone would notice if we made out? Marie Antoinette, drag queen.

My hair is now 5 years earlier, and my dress is 10 years later. My maid quit before finishing my hairdo? Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) Who played her? Animated, again! What’s it about? Mr. Peabody (the smartest person in the world, and also a dog) takes Sherman on adventures through time. Is it any good? Yes! It’s super cute and fun. Marie Antoinette really loves cake, and she just wants to share it with you… CAKE! PUPPIES! Did we miss any key appearances of Queen Marie Antoinette in movies & TV? Let us know in the comments! Major shout-out to the Boudoir de Marie Antoinette forum for many of the photos and clues to French productions! Share this:

Question: Which historical character has been played in film by Norma Shearer (1938), Jane Seymour (1989) and Kirsten Dunst (2006)?
Answer: Marie Antoinette